Portable dressing booth



Feb. 12, 1935. E, WATSON 1,990,804

PORTABLE DRES S ING BOOTH Filed Oct. 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j y 1 /6l6 A9 7/ 1 INVENTOR 1 7:9- G r/muff fi/a fs'olz v BY ATTORNEY Feb. 12,1935. E. WATSON 1,990,304

PORTABLE DRESSING BOOTH Filed Oct. 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AITORNEYPatented Feb. 12, 1935 1,990,804 PORTABLE DRESSING noo'rn Ernest Watson,Wauwatosa, Wis.

A plication October 19, 1933, Serial No. 694,262

" 4 Claims. (01. 135-5) This invention relates to portable dressingbooths.

-An object of the present invention is toprovide an improved portabledressing booth which may be readily collapsed into a form convenient forhandling and transporting from place to place and as readily distendedto provide a self-sustaining enclosure affording privacy for onedesiring to change garments.

This I have accomplished by the provision of a longitudinallycollapsible and distensible structure that may be seated at one end onthe ground, or other supporting surface, and which is provided at itsother end with a top opening affording ready admission of a personthereto, when the structure is collapsed, and which, when verticallydistended, forms a surrounding curtain or shield effectively secludingthe figure of the person from view. Exit from the enclosure may be hadthrough the top opening after the structure has again been collapsed.The structure is preferably, but not necessarily, self distensible bythe inclusion therein of resilient means capable of expanding the samevertically, but yieldab-le under manual pressure to permit reductionthereof to collapsed form.

The ready portability, ease of erection, and privacy afforded by devicesof the present invention render them particularly useful on bathingbeaches, athletic fields, and wherever other facilities are not readilyavailable to hide one from public view during a change of clothing.

Other more specific objects and advantages will appear from thefollowing description of two illustrative embodiments of the presentinvention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portable dressing boothconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same collapsed.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a portable dressing booth involving amodified construction.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the booth shown in Fig. 3.

The portable dressing booth shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises alongitudinally collapsible and distensible structure having in thisinstance a cylindrical side wall 10 of substantially opaque flexiblematerial, such as fabric, and a bottom 11 of like material securedthereto. The upper end 12 of the structure is open to admit a personthereinto.

Provision is made in the structure shown for yieldably supporting thesame in the distended condition shown in Fig. 1, this being effected bythe use of a coil spring 13 within'the structure. In this instance thespring 13 is fixed at its lower end to a supporting hoop 14; containedina bot tom hem 15 of the fabric 10, and at its upper-end to a similarhoop 16, contained in a top hem 1'7.

m p STATES PATENT OFFICE The arrangement is such that the entirestructure may be compressed, against the resistance of the spring 13,into the collapsed condition shown in Fig. 2, in which form it may beeasily handled and readily transported to the place of use. Anyappropriate means, such as resilient clips 18, fixed to the bottom ofthe structure and engageable over the top rim of the structure Whencollapsed, may be employed to secure the structure in collapsedcondition. In this instance the free ends of a steel strip 19, fixed tothe bottom hoop 14, are bent to form the clips 18.

A person desiring to occupy the booth enters it through the upper openend 12, while the structure is collapsed, and then releases the clips18,. permitting the structure to rise about him until his figure ishidden from view. The structure is self sustaining and remains indistended 'upright position until the user'is ready to make his exit,which is readily effected after the structure has been again collapsedby forcing the top thereof downwardly into position beneath the clips18. The booth is then again ready for occupancy at the same or any otherplace to which it may hav been carried.

When collapsed the booth described may serve as a convenient receptacleand carrier for bathing suits, towels, etc.

The booth shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is similar in.

many respects to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It includes asubstantially cylindrical fabric structure 10', closed at its bottom byfabric 11', and open at its top 12'. In this instance it is yieldablysustained in distended condition by a plurality of coil springs 13',symmetrically disposed within the fabric structure at the peripherythereof, and confined between the bottom and top hoops 14 and 16'. 4

The several springs 13 are preferably connected by an intermediate hoop20 which also serves as a brace for the surrounding fabric. Each of thesprings 13' may constitute a single full-length unit, as indicated, ormay constitute separate sections above and below the hoop 20, and whenthus constituted the upper section may be formed of lighter material toconform to the lesser load which it is called upon tosupport.

As in the booth hereinabove first described, the

booth shown inFigs. 3 and 4 may be collapsed by compression into acompact unit,easy to handle and to carry from place to place, entry intoand exit from the booth being efiected through the top 12 while incollapsed condition.

Various changes may be made in either of the embodiments of theinvention hereinabove specifically described without departing from orsacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims. r Y

Iclaim:.-

. 1. A portable dressing booth comprising avertically collapsible anddistensible structure having means for hidingthe figure of a personthereperson therein when distended, said structure including resilientmeans for yieldably sustaining said structure in distended condition,said structure having a top opening through which a person may enter orleave the same when collapsed, and means for releasably retaining saidtially from top to bottom of said structure for yieldably sustaining thesame in distended condition. V

V 4, A portable dressing booth comprising a vertically collapsible anddistensible structure having a top opening through which a person mayenter or leave the same when collapsed, said structure including aflexible covering for hiding the figure of an admitted person from viewwhen distended, and a plurality of vertical coil springs VERNEST'WATSON.

